The Sperm Whale’s engine room had undergone a total transformation. With Professor Stein, his assistant Emulgand, and a mountain of experimental gear crammed inside, the space had become an improvised lab so packed with measuring devices and analytical equipment that there was barely any room to stand.
"Alright, connection complete. Circulation pump, output stable."
The professor nodded with satisfaction.
The Bio-core—the electricity-devouring pumpkin previously wired directly to the spare console—now resided in a transparent cylindrical "Circulating Culture Medium Tank" brought by the professor. Inside the green liquid, the core pulsed comfortably. Compared to its previous "bed" of exposed wiring, this was a downright luxurious setup.
"Ugh, it’s so hot in here... The humidity is stifling, and it reeks of soot," Emulgand groaned.
The assistant was already looking groggy. She was stationed in the Onboard Farm sector, located right next to the core. Since we circulated engine heat and exhaust through the area to grow the Heat-resistant Ivy native to Hephaestus, the environment was perpetually hot, humid, and grimy.
"Stop complaining," the professor snapped. "This environment is a paradise for the plants. Besides, I hear the sprouts of this Heat-resistant Ivy are actually edible."
"T-They’re edible...?"
Emulgand wiped the sweat from her brow, staring at the lush ivy with a look of mingled confusion and horror.
She definitely isn’t the fieldwork type, I thought. I wonder why he even brought her along.
Just then, my handheld terminal vibrated. It was a message from Varna.
Surgery complete. Treat her to something extraordinary.
I let out a sigh of relief and replied with a wry smile.
"Don't be unreasonable. There aren't any 'extraordinary ingredients' for sale in this city. It’s all Tasty Cubes or that bizarre scientific cuisine."
Oh, really? Well, do your best to show off your skills. She seemed quite excited about it.
The communication cut off. Good grief, she’d given me quite a challenge.
However, Professor Stein, who had been eavesdropping on the conversation, twisted his mouth thoughtfully.
"...Hmm. Extraordinary ingredients, you say?"
Several dozen minutes later, Lucia returned to the ship.
Her appearance hadn't changed—still the same expressionless face and the same maid uniform. However, her movements were slightly off. Her steps up the ramp were cautious, and she occasionally tilted her head as if scanning empty space.
"Welcome back, Lucia. How are you feeling?"
"...I have returned, Master. It is... strange."
Lucia touched her nose—the site of her newly installed sensor unit.
"I did not expect the atmospheric composition data to occupy so much processing power. The 'texture' of the information is immense. Volatile oil components, ozone, fine dust, and... the organic odors associated with human metabolism. Is this the sensation of 'smell'?"
It seemed that data which had previously existed only as numerical values was now flooding her consciousness as raw sensation.
"Keep the filters narrowed until you get used to it. Now then, I’d like to celebrate your discharge, but..."
I looked around the kitchen. The refrigerator was a DIY project and the storage facilities were minimal at best. My next goal for renovations definitely needed to be the storage systems.
All I had on hand was some leftover bread I’d bought the other day. It was already starting to get rock-hard. This wasn't going to be much of a celebration—it was a lonely breakfast at best.
"Emulgand-kun. Open Sample Case No. 4, if you would," the professor suddenly barked.
Emulgand scurried over to the equipment and retrieved a strictly locked silver container. Once the biometric scan cleared, the lid hissed open, releasing a cloud of white vapor.
"...Eggs? And milk?"
Resting within the case’s impact-absorbing field were half a dozen eggs in their shells. Beside them sat a perfectly sealed crystal cylinder filled with a white liquid.
"Research-grade bio-chicken eggs and high-concentration milk refined in a cultivation plant. They were intended as samples for quality-checking biological resources," the professor said with a grin. "Use them carefully, boy. The production cost of those items alone is enough to put you in debt all over again. I don't know when I'll get my hands on more, so consider this a one-time perk."
"Are you serious? Why do you even have research materials like this?"
"I told you—high-quality food is part of my research. I want to make things like this available to the common people eventually. Though, the road to cost reduction is still much too long."
I took the ingredients with trembling hands. Ultra-high-end ingredients, acquired. With these, even that stale bread could be transformed into a world-class dessert.
"Alright, the menu is decided. Lucia, your first meal is going to be French Toast."
I set a large, wok-like pan on the Sperm Whale’s high-power stove. Having only one pan was another major issue I needed to fix, but until now, its only use had been stir-frying the "bean sprouts"—the Heat-resistant Ivy.
First, I prepared the custard. I cracked the precious eggs into a bowl and whisked in the high-concentration milk. I skipped the sugar; the chemical aftertaste of cheap synthetic sugar would only ruin the quality of the other ingredients.
Instead, I pulled a rugged, pressure-resistant container from the fridge: Cyber Pumpkin Paste. Because of its extremely high sugar content, it functioned like a jam and was resistant to spoilage. I added a generous amount of it as a sweetener.
The result was a thick, golden liquid.
"Now, we let the stale bread soak."
I submerged the bite-sized pieces of bread in the mixture. The dry, sponge-like bread greedily drank up the custard. Once the pieces were heavy and saturated, I started the heat.
I heated the pan and dropped in a knob of synthetic butter—essentially margarine. For some reason, the quality of synthetic fats in this era was lower than in my time despite being more expensive, but the artificial butter flavoring was incredibly potent.
It wasn't great for raw eating or delicate sauces, but for frying, it was perfect. When heated, that intense artificial aroma bonded with the char to create a "junk food" appeal that violently stimulated the appetite.
Delicate sweetness from the pumpkin, a punchy aroma from the synthetic butter. It was all about using the right tool for the job.
Sizzle!
The sound was perfect as the savory aroma began to rise. I tossed in the bread.
Sssssss!
The intense heat seared the surface instantly. Once the pieces were a beautiful golden brown, I lowered the flame and covered the pan to let them steam. Inside, the pumpkin paste and eggs heated up, causing the bread to swell.
Slowly, a rich, sweet fragrance began to leak from beneath the lid. The salty tang of the butter, the savory scent of toasted bread, and the mellow fragrance of pumpkin and milk filled the air. It instantly transformed the ship’s interior from a place of oil and soot into a "happy dining table."
"...Warning. Olfactory sensor input is exceeding thresholds. However... it is not unpleasant," Lucia murmured, staring intently at the pan.
Even Emulgand let out an audible gulp.
"Alright, it's done."
When I lifted the lid, a mountain of glowing, golden toast sat before us. I plated the pieces and finished them with a generous drizzle of that high-end honey.
"Special Golden Pumpkin French Toast."
"Here, Lucia. Give it a try."
I handed her a fork. With a slightly clumsy motion, she speared a piece and brought it to her lips.
Chomp.
The surface was crisp. Immediately after, the piping-hot, custard-like center melted onto her tongue. The richness of the pumpkin, the gentleness of the milk, and the intense sweetness of the honey danced together in a perfect harmony.
"......"
Lucia froze. A few seconds of silence followed. Eventually, she slowly chewed and swallowed.
"...Caloric intake confirmed. Sugars, lipids, proteins... this is an excessive amount of energy for standard life activities."
The report was the same as always, but her voice sounded just a bit more buoyant.
"However... I think I understand now. This is more than just structure. It’s a synthesis of temperature, memory, and color. This is the emotion called 'delicious' you were looking for, Master."
Lucia placed a hand over her chest and looked at me. Her usually expressionless face seemed to soften, almost breaking into a smile.
"My processing system 'approves' of this sensation. ...May I have another?"
"Haha, eat as much as you want! I’ve got plenty of ingredients!"
Success. Technology-driven molecular gastronomy has its place, but in the end, nothing beats something brown and sweet for making someone say "delicious."
"Mmm! Boss, this is incredible!"
Before I knew it, Mina had snatched a piece and was stuffing her face, her cheeks bulging. "Crispy on the outside, melty on the inside! The pumpkin is so sweet!"
Mina narrowed her eyes, chewing with a look of pure bliss.
"Hmm... Truly impressive. To think you could elevate leftover bread into such a delicacy," the professor remarked, nodding with satisfaction as he ate. "Your culinary depth is the real deal. It seems my intuition was correct."
"Glad you like it. Here, Emulgand-san, you should have some too."
"A-Ah! Thank you! I will...!"
And so, a strange dinner party began in the Sperm Whale’s engine room. By the time the plates were empty, Lucia’s expression had become noticeably softer.
"Now then, since our bellies are full," the professor said, wiping his mouth with a napkin and straightening his posture. "Shall we talk business, Captain?"
Pumpkin-flavored French toast seems like something that might actually exist. If you enjoyed the chapter, please leave a "★"! It might even help Akito upgrade his dinner tomorrow. Thank you!